Of Ropes and Royalty
by teh-fargs
Summary: If you were kidnapped by CP9 agents and taken to a strange desert palace, you'd be a little shaken too. light Lucci/Kaku, SURPRISE PAIR WHAT
1. Letters from Nowhere

--

--

"Kaku, there a letter here for you."

Kaku winced at the attack striking his shoulder. He braced himself and muttered "tekkai" before falling to the ground with a giant thud and a large amount of dust flying into the air. He struggled to sit up, massaging his shoulder as he watched a dark figure materialize in front of him. "That hurt."

"Good," Lucci said, offering a hand and pulling Kaku up onto his feet. "Perhaps it will teach you to keep your full attention on your opponent."

"It was Kalifa with the mail," Kaku argued in an exasperated tone. Lucci gave him a look that read, 'I don't care if that's never going to happen in a real fight, _pay attention_'. Kaku deflated, sighing in defeat. "All right. Sorry."

Grabbing a towel and patting at his hair, Kaku walked over to Kalifa, who was waiting at the doorway to the training room. "You said I have a letter?"

"Yes." Kalifa handed him the envelope, watching carefully.

Kaku looked it over. "Was there any return address?"

"No," Kalifa said as she adjusted her glasses. "Nothing of the sort."

"Hmm." Kaku glanced over to find Lucci simply watching the two of them, towel around his neck. Frowning, Kaku filpped the envelope over and ripped it open. Inside was a solitary sheet of paper which he unfolded. Scanning it, he paled before folding the paper back into the envelope and tucking it into his pant pocket.

"Well?"

Kaku startled at the question, snapping his head up to look back at Lucci. He was frowning faintly; Kaku wasn't sure whether it was from concern or annoyance, but he figured it was the latter. He shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just going to take a shower."

"We've been sparring for half an hour."

Kaku shook his head again, sharply, as if to rid the suspicion in Lucci's voice from his mind. "Yeah. Maybe we can pick up where we left off later."

With that in mind, Kaku nodded his thanks to Kalifa and began making his way to the door. He didn't even have to look at Lucci to feel those eyes burning into his skull, suspicion raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

This time around curiosity wasn't going to kill the cat, the cat was going to kill him.

"Orders came in today."

Kaku couldn't tell if it was a grunt or a hum, but the noise was enough to tell him that Lucci was listening, get on with it. "There's a pair of aristocrates living in Drum that are threatening to account for witnessing a meeting between Garp and Whitebeard. Apparently Garp was seen with something resembling a present."

Lucci sighed. "That idiot."

Kaku shuffled his papers. It was now or never. "I was thinking of giving it to Kalifa. She hasn't seen much action lately so I fugure she would want to go. It's not too complicated anyways..."

"Kaku, you're rambling."

Kaku looked up from the papers and found Lucci watching him from the couch, leaing forwards with his elbows resting against his knees. "Let's go to Alabasta."

Lucci frowned. "What was in that letter?"

"Don't we deserve a vacation?" Kaku hoped he didn't look as pathetic as he felt.

"Kaku, what was in that letter?"

Kaku had to look away from those piercing eyes for the first time in a very long time. "It was from the Alabastian king. Princess Vivi is turning of age and I've been invited to attend the celebration."

"Any particular reason?" Lucci asked, leaning back. His posture read uninterested but his eyes screamed something else.

"Princess Vivi..." Kaku stared back at Lucci, forcing defiance to mask the weakness he knew would otherwise show. "She's me second cousin."

For a moment Lucci did nothing but blink lazily. Kaku was sure the man was simply debating exactly how to kill him for withholding essential information that could potentially affect an assignment. Then Lucci exhaled, long and slow, and turned his gaze downwards to his nails. "I see."

During that moment Kaku was struck by the overwhelming experience of feeling very small and inexperienced compared to Lucci, something he'd heard others speak of but had never gone through himself before this. He didn't quite like it. Even so, this would probably be his only chance as far as he knew and Lucci was still just Lucci, no matter how powerful he made himself out to be. "Come with me."

Lucci looked up again. "You're aware I should tell Chief about this. Withholding information regarding royal family is a felony."

"I know."

Lucci frowned faintly. "Why did you tell me?"

_Rarely does Lucci ask personal questions to anyone_, Kaku thought. "I don't know, you asked. I guess I trust you."

"You shouldn't."

"I want you to go with me."

"No."

"Why not?" It too a great deal of will power to keep a whine from his voice.

Once again Lucci surveyed his nails, scratching at one with his thumb. "I'm busy."

Kaku frowned. "Do you understand the word vacation?"

"I do my best to avoid it," Lucci drawled.

Kaku couldn't help but sigh. "All right. I'll be gone about two weeks."

Lucci nodded. "Fine."

Kaku turned to leave but hesitated at the door when his heard his name.

Lucci eyed him. "You rarely hesitate to give information you deem critical, whether is has to do with you or not."

Kaku shrugged. "I find that royal blood has its affect on raising rank, but there's no fun without the effort."

Lucci almost smiled and Kaku had to compliment himself on the result; it was a rare feat to see Lucci smile in a blood-free environment, let alone be the reason for said smile.

Knowing this as he did, Kaku left the room before his mouth could rebel against his mind and say something to ruin the moment.

Kaku wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but the whole experience seemed vaguely familiar to the first night he finally swallowed his fear of the infamous Rob Lucci. The door was large and made of high grade wood with a gold handle drilled in about half-way up, still the same as before. Kaku debated on knocking but decided it would be easier to avoid death with the element of surprise, or at least what little he still posessed.

The lights were off but the window was open. Lucci had always disliked artificial lighting, preferring to bathe himself and anything or anyone else in his roon with moonlight instead. Kaku, while personally enjoying all forms of light himself, had always found the whole idea a little intruiging.

When he reached the bed, Kaku could feel cool silk pool around his fingertips as he drew back sheets of deep purple. Hattori cooed softly from his perch, preening his feathers before settling back to sleep.

Kaku waited for a hand to spring out of the darkness and coil around his throat, but none came. Hoping the lack of bloodshed was Lucci's form of invitation, Kaku kicked off his slippers and crawled under the sheets. Settling down, Kaku could hear Lucci's heart beating in tune with his own. He almost laughed at the thought; Lucci and cheezy cliches worked together about at well as Spandam in a battlefield.

At the sigh of rustling sheets, Kaku was ripped from his thoughts and suddenly found himself nose-to-nose with CP9's finest, which wasn't as close as one would expect (for obvious reasons) but still enough to startle him.

Lucci frowned as is to ask what Kaku's nightmare his consisted of and whether he wanted a glass of warm milk. Egotistical bastard.

"I wanted to apologize," Kaku said before Lucci could get a word in and kick him out. He watched carefully for Lucci's reaction but the man simply stared at him from under half-closed lids.

"You're hopeless."

Kaku blinked. "What?"

"You entered my room in the middle of the right to apologize for what, withholding information on your bloodline or your bloodline itself?"

"Er..." Kaku was beginning to regret this expedition. His mind never did function well at one in the morning. "Both?"

Lucci drew his face away to rest on his pillow. "Go to sleep Kaku, I'll inform Kalifa of our _vacation_ in the morning."

Kaku grinned. "Thank you."

"Go to sleep."

"Yes. One more thing, though?"

"What?"

"We're going to have to make a quick stop before Alabasta."


	2. Plan A: Capture the Shipwright

--

--

Saying that Paulie's head hurt had to be the understatement of the century, if not at least the year. It was as if every hangover he'd ever endured had suddenly held a vendetta against him all at the same time. He hadn't even been drinking either, so why was everything all dim and dark and why were his hands tied behind his back?

Opening his eyes wider, Paulie could begin to make out two silhouettes against the black of the room.

"Hello? Paulie? ... Why did you have to hit him so hard?"

"I didn't."

"Yes you did. You better hope he's alright."

No response materialized but there was something familiar about the way Paulie knew what wasn't being said in that strained and wordless silence. If only his head would stop pulsing long enough he might be able to pull a name out of the fog in his brain.

Wait a minute...

Paulie's body tensed with sudden panic and his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. He could make out short hair and a long nose now over on one body and a box - no wait, a hat - above the other. His teeth clenched, a growl falling from his lips before he could swallow it.

"Oh good," that familiar voice said. "I think he remembers us."

"Get on with it, then," another voice said, deeper and even more unforgettable. Paulie had heard it once before and it had taken him months to get it out of his head, repeating in his mind like an annoying song heard one too many times.

Paulie's brain shut down and he strained at the bonds, muscles spasming as he suddenly forced them into working double time. Then he found his voice.

"Shut up! Let me go, you bastards! Where the hell have you taken me? They told me you were dead but I should have known! Let me go and I'm going to kill you myself! Answer me damn it, I know you can speak!"

"Oh good," Kaku said, sounding cheerful as always. "He does remember us."

"I believe he's contradicted himself," Lucci noted dryly and Paulie swore colorfully at the sound of that voice.

"Don't you dare tell me what I've done, Lucci you bastard! Monster! Let me go!"

"He's going to hurt himself if he keeps slamming the floor with his chair like that," Lucci said, voice as monotone as Paulie imagined his expression would be.

"Yes, I suppose."

The light that flooded into his eyes left Paulie's head spinning hard enough that, if he'd been standing, he face would have met the concrete by now. His shouts were cut short and his body stilled, all of Paulie's energy now focused into staying conscious as his head pounded with a vengeance once more. He squeezed his eyes shut, looking for relief back in the dark behind his eyelids. "Nghnnn..."

"Hello, Paulie."

Paulie cracked an eye open, squinting at the two faces swimming in front of him; Kaku was smiling, Lucci was a statue. Paulie wished those expressions weren't so familiar and linked to some of his happiest memories.

"Go away," Paulie mumbled through the pain. "Leave me alone."

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Kaku said. "We- I need your help."

Paulie frowned. "No."

"You haven't even heard the terms yet," Kaku said.

"No."

Kaku thought. "Please?"

"No!" Paulie shouted, straining again against his bonds. He yelped when a silent enemy attacked him from behind, rendering his voice useless. He glared at the back of Lucci's head as the man walked back to Kaku's right.

Kaku sighed as if he was the one with all the worries. Paulie growled around the cloth and Kaku sighed again.

"Sorry to gag you, Paulie, but I really do need you to listen."

Paulie could feel the last of his hope seeping away into those midnight suits. He wasn't stupid; he knew at least a handful of tricks to get himself out of unprofitable situations, the first being to admit defeat when the cards are out of your favor. Maybe he could try and kill them after Kaku finished his speech.

Kaku smiled when Paulie stopped growling. "I need you to build a gift for me," he said. "For the princess of Alabasta."

Paulie snorted.

"I'm not joking," Kaku said. "She's my second cousin and there's a very important celebration occurring next week that we're going to attend. I need a gift and you're going to make me one."

Paulie stared at him, eyes flicking momentarily from Kaku's smiling anticipation to Lucci's stone-cold expression and back. He tried to ask," Why do you need me?" It came out as," Phh hoo nnphhh phphh?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Lucci drawled and Paulie turned red with anger, embarrassment and a few other nameless emotions from allowing Lucci to scold him like that, as if they were still in Water 7 and Paulie was still blind to what they really were.

He looked away to scowl at the wall. He suddenly remembered that he still didn't know where he was and that the last thing he'd been doing was delivering those blueprints to Dock 3 for Iceburg-san...

"Mphh!" Paulie shouted urgently.

"The blueprints were sent," Lucci said.

Paulie glared at him; God damn mind-reading bastard, always stealing the upper hand.

"We also had a representative inform Iceburg-san of your sudden absence," Lucci continued. "It's been taken care of."

"Now will you help me?" Kaku asked, walking over. He reached out and undid the knot holding that piece of cloth around Paulie's mouth, pocketing the fabric. "Well?"

Paulie scowled again; knowing these two like he did, he wouldn't' have put it past them to have already arrived at Alabasta by now. "Do I have a choice?"

"No, not really," Kaku admitted," but it would be a lot easier, not to mention look better, if you'd just agree and I didn't have to force you."

Paulie was silent as he thought. On the one hand, Paulie hated these bastards. On the other hand, Paulie did enjoy living very much. The three of them had been friends for a long, but that was before Paulie's reality crumbled and he was forced to kill or be killed by men he had worked and drank with for five years. He'd trusted them with his life, but that no excuse to forget their attempt at murdering Iceburg-san. "Fine."

Kaku laughed and slapped him and the shoulder, ignoring Paulie's yelp. "Good man! See, Lucci? I told you de's come around."

Paulie glared at Lucci. Lucci glared back. Kaku undid the ropes tying Paulie's wrists together.

Paulie decided he was about to experience the second most horrible week he'd ever have.


	3. Residence

Kaku was grinning like an idiot when they docked at Alabasta. Kaku had been grinning like an idiot for a while, but Paulie did his best to avoid the two as much as one could on a ten-man ship. It was just him, a handful of government lackeys, and the two most powerful killers around.

Speaking of which...

"Mum!" Kaku shouted with his grin, waving frantically.

Paulie leaned against the railing, scanning for said woman. Before this moment, he hadn't even fathomed the idea of these two being children, let alone having parents. Finally something caught his eye and Paulie could see a short, thin woman waving back at them as she walked over. Her hair was a darker ginger than Kaku's, her eyes just as wide and that familiar nose set just below. She wore a dress of pale blue, embroidered fan held in her grasp.

The anchor was lowered and Kaku climbed down to give the woman a welcomed hug. Paulie didnt exactly know what to do and felt a little stupid as he stood awkwardly next to Lucci, bag by his feet, hands in his pockets.

The woman rested her hand on Kaku's cheek and smiled. "You look well, Kaku."

"I've been doing quite well," Kaku agreed. Turning his head, he noticed Paulie and Lucci waiting for him. Paulie wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or not.

Kaku offered his arm and brought the woman over to them. "Mother, I'd like you to meet Lucci and Paulie."

The woman smiled at the two of them. When Kaku motioned at him, Paulie suddenly felt the urge to run. Kaku's stern gaze hidden behind a cheerful voice kept him cemented in place.

"This is Paulie, a friend from Water Seven," Kaku said.

Paulie could feel Kaku's stare digging into his skull but there was no need for force; he didn't want to be killed, so there was no way he was stepping out of line in a situation like this. He smiled and nodded. "Hello."

"And this is my partner, Rob Lucci," Kaku continued as he motioned to the man.

"The pleasure is all mine," Lucci said smoothly and bowed. Paulie wanted to hit the bastard, showing him up like that. Instead, he stood and waited for further instruction.

"My, aren't you both handsome," she said with a warm smile. "Do take good care of Kaku, won't you?"

Yes, of course," Lucci agreed with a nod.

"Mara, dear! Do wait for me!"

Paulie's eyes flicked towards the voice, watching as an older man trotted over, white hair shining against his tan skin. Walking closer, he blinked at Kaku. "Oh. Hello."

Kaku simply scowled.

Kaku's mother – Mara, Paulie assumed – placed a hand on Kaku's arm. "Be nice, Kaku."

Being nice, Paulie discovered, was definitely not in Kaku's dictionary.

"I'd prefer if you left the premises before I have to escort you myself."

At least there wasn't any bloodshed yet, so perhaps Kaku _was_ being nice.

"Kaku, he's your father," Mara scolded. "Do try not to kill him."

Kaku simply frowned.

"Perhaps I should go..." the man said looking desperately to Mara for help.

"We might as well unpack," Mara agreed with a sigh. She turned to Kaku, regaining his attention and smiled at him. "It's been good to see you, dear."

Kaku returned the smile with a softness Paulie didn't know monsters were able to show. "Yes."

"Try and visit if you can," she added and kissed his cheek before turning to Kaku's father, rapping his skull with her fan and taking his arm. As the two of them walked towards another ship further on in the port, Paulie startled back into reality as Lucci shifted.

"Kaku."

Kaku didn't move, back still turned to them, bus with his stiff posture it was painfully obvious he had both heard Lucci and caught the dark undertone that was now doing horrible things to Paulie's blood pressure.

"Kaku," Lucci repeated and Paulie had to pride himself for not bolting as Lucci's Evil Aura shot into overdrive. "That was Yuki, former captain of the White Flag Pirates."

Note: emphasis on _pirates_.

"Your point?" Kaku's tone was curt, dangerous and very much wanting to change subjects.

Lucci frowned and when he spoke, his voice was quiet as if muttering to himself. "Your father is pirate."

Kaku turned, eyes blazing. "Former."

"Of course," Lucci agreed, voice still quiet, creepy aura still terrifying. "Former pirates no longer pose a threat."

Until now, Paulie had never seen Lucci and Kaku argue with each other over anything more than how much they should let Paulie consume before dragging his ass back home, or how much damage they should inflict on one of those filthy pirates trying to get off free after a long day of hauling wood for the ungrateful creatures. Lucci was heartless and Kaku was sweet; it never occurred to Paulie that the ultimate team could shatter but here he was now, balling his fists into his jacket and not daring to breathe, hoping to death nothing would spark the flame that threw them any farther than deadly glares and haughty annoyance.

He really wanted to leave. Then he sneezed.

Kaku snapped to attention at the noise, turning that glare onto Paulie before softening his gaze when he saw the man flinch and offering a small smile. "Sorry, Paulie. I'm sure your head still hurts and all this confusion must be horrible."

Paulie blinked, brain screaming to get away before he was dragged in deeper. _Addict and idiot I may be, but pawn I am not_. "Er, well... I mean, I'm fine so... I can just go..."

"Nonsense," Kaku said, grinning a little just like he used to do back at Dock One. "I'll show you where; there's no point having you get lost even before you settle in."

Paulie's pride won over. "Oi, what do you mean that?! Tell him, Lu- Hey!"

Kaku took hold of Paulie's wrist with his hand, barely giving the man enough time to grab his bag before they were off. Paulie tried to pry his hand out of Kaku's grasp but paused when he noticed the man's smug expression, pulling him closer to sling an arm over Paulie's shoulders instead. "It's right up on the third floor, second to the left."

Paulie figured Kaku was talking a little too loud considering they were less than a foot apart, but they were at the entrance now, much too far for anyone at the dock to hear them.

Cats were known for their good hearing, though, weren't they?

Somehow Lucci was waiting for them at the hallway, leaving Paulie to wonder whether the bastard simply had a portable ladder stowed away in his jacket or something.

Looking to check Kaku's reaction, Paulie found him indifferent to the whole situation. It was as if he had just passed Lucci in the hall by coincidence rather than leave him behind to fend for himself after almost killing him. Paulie figured that to be a little rude and the part of him that didn't mind dying at a painful end wondered what Lucci was going to do.

It turned out Lucci did nothing, which ended up making Paulie even more nervous as Kaku handed him a key out of nowhere and started rambling on about breakfast rules and drinking quarters. Big doors on the fifth floor. Check.

"Got it?"

Paulie wondered if he had gotten anything straight since the ship had docked here. "Yeah. No problem."

Kaku smiled. "Good. There's going to be dinner at seven. We'll see you then."

Paulie nodded and watched as Kaku turned to Lucci, opening his mouth to say something. When Lucci raised an eyebrow Kaku must have decided differently as he closed his mouth and smiled. "I suppose we should unpack as well."

Lucci picked up his bag and waited silently, another eyebrow raised.

Kaku bristled again and took his own bag, turning to smile at Paulie before making his way down the hall.

"I think he's mad at you," Paulie noted, throwing caution out of the way; maybe if Lucci killed him, Kaku would kill Lucci.

Instead, Lucci looked down at him like he was a squished bug and asked, "Your point?"

"Just saying," Paulie shrugged.

Lucci gave him another patent 'you're annoying go away' glare before fallowing down the hall.

Paulie sighed and opened the door behind him, looking around the room he'd be borrowing. Even at first glance it was huge, consisting of a small bathroom, dresser and large canvas bed that looked as soft as it was large. He walked in and set his bag on the edge, smoothing the velvet under his fingertips. Screw the room, these _sheets_ must cost more than his apartment.

_Mostly though_, Paulie thought at he sat down, _I'm just glad I'm not stuck rooming with them_.

--


	4. Of Windows and Table Manners

- - -

Paulie scowled and turned left again. These hallways were proving to rival the twists and turns of Water 7's darkest alleys. At least _they_ were labelled.

"This is ridiculous," Paulie muttered to himself. He'd gone out for a smoke just a moment ago, so why was he now so irrationally lost? Paulie prided himself on his good directional sense, but skills are only as good as they're used and rarely did Paulie get the opportunity to lose himself in empty castle halls.

Buried in his thoughts, Paulie walked into a wall.

"Sorry," Paulie muttered distractedly, shaking his head to clear his thoughts of north-northeast and hypocritical road maps.

"Just look where you're going next time," the wall replied.

"Right," Paulie said before hesitating. "What?"

Looking over his shoulder, Paulie noticed the wall was actually a man, who was currently walking away. "Oi! Hold on a second!"

The man stopped and frowned as Paulie walked over to him. "What do you want?"

"Do you know where the dining hall is?" Paulie asked. The man eyed him from under shaded glasses, and Paulie frowned. "Well?"

"You just passed it," he said.

Paulie could feel the heat rising against his face. "Oh."

"Go back the way you came, turn right, right again, and you should be there," the man said.

"Right, thanks," Paulie muttered as he turned and began to walk away again.

Paulie hesitated after a few strides and stopped to think. Had it been his right or the man's?

---

Paulie frowned, hanging another right and walking down the hall. He sighed in relief; there was a door at the end of the hall that looked different than the others. Yet, as he made his way closer, the door seemed much too small and much too subtle to be an entrance to a dining hall. He hoped he wasn't lost again.

Paulie turned the doorknob and pushed gently, opening the door halfway. He leaned his head in and looked around. There was nothing in the room save for a small table, large window and beautiful woman.

Wait...

"Excuse me," Paulie said, opening the door another foot and taking a step into the room. The woman turned from the window to look at him with bright blue eyes to match her long hair. Paulie gave the room another sweep before asking, "I think I'm lost. Do you know where the dining room is?"

The woman smiled, eyes cast away and out the window for a fraction before turning back to him. "Yes. Do you want me to show you?"

"If you don't mind," Paulie agreed sheepishly. He frowned faintly and took another step into the room, eyeing the window she had taken another look out of, hoping he wasn't being too rude. "What do you keep looking at?"

The woman turned back to the window with a smile once more and Paulie took it as a sign that he hadn't said anything _too_ stupid. Those filthy women in Water 7 were liars about his etiquette. He walked over to stand next to her chair and could only whisper, "Wow."

"You can almost see the entire city from up here," she said. "I think it's beautiful."

Paulie had to agree with her; the scenery was breathtaking with the sun setting low just before it dropped out of sight and night would envelop the city in all shades of black. Street lamps were lit as people wandered about in the lazy heat. It reminded him of Water 7 in a way, how he could see everyone and everything going on with a single rooftop glance. He smiled. "It looks just like my hometown, except without all the water."

"You're not from here, then?" the woman asked, looking him over. "I've never seen you around before."

"Er, yeah," Paulie admitted. "I'm Paulie. I'm here with-"

"Vivi-sama!" a voice boomed and Paulie felt a hand clamp over his shoulder. He looked up into a giant face connected to a giant body and suddenly wished it was Tilestone so he could shout at someone for the sudden intrusion, surprising the hell out of him.

"Hello, Igaram," the woman said. "Is dinner ready?"

"Ah- Yes. Everyone is waiting."

Paulie was fairly sure that his eyes were bulging by now. Vivi-sama...?

_"You'll be working to build a gift for the princess, Vivi-chan."_

"Ah! Y-You're Vivi?" Paulie shouted, his brain kicking into overdrive and losing control of his mouth. "You're the princess?"

Vivi nodded. "Yes. You said you were Paulie, right? What brings you to Alabasta?"

"Er..." On the one hand, Paulie could lie and possibly say something impressive, but on the other hand, he might (or would definitely) get caught lying to royalty and look like even more of an idiot. "I've been... hired by Kaku to build you a present for the serenation."

"Coronation," Vivi corrected with a small smile.

"Right," Paulie agreed, forcing his blood to stop being so red and showing up so easily beneath his cheeks. "I hope you're not insulted or anything, having an outsider make your se-coronation gift." _Okay, mouth. Shut up now._ "I like your skirt by the way." _Shit._ "It's very..." _Long._ "Pretty."

Vivi laughed and Paulie's knees were in danger of collapsing. "Don't worry, it's tradition for someone outside of the royal family to build gifts for someone inside the family." She looked down at her lap and looked back up with a grin. "It's one of my favourites."

"Oh," Paulie said and couldn't think of any embarrassing moment of his twenty-something life being worse than this moment right now.

The hand moved and Paulie jumped back to reality, turning to stare again at the man still looming above him.

"Vivi-sama, dinner is still waiting."

"Oh, of course," Vivi nodded and stood up, smoothing her skirt down before turning and smiling at the two of the standing at the doorway. "Shall we go, then? You didn't know where the dining room was, right Paulie? Would you still like me to show you?"

"Y-Yeah. Thanks."

---

Paulie found the two near the center of the table, quietly drinking. At least they weren't fighting and the room wasn't bloodied. He couldn't tell whether they were angry or not at first glance, he had never been good at reading emotions, but the wary glances from all over the room at the man with midnight hair and refined qualities told him Lucci's Evil Aura was ready to flare up at the smallest of mishaps.

"You're late," Lucci noted when Paulie slipped into the empty seat by his right.

Paulie braced himself for a death-by-butter-knife that never came and felt a little stupid for it. These guys are too smart to make a scene in public. He grabbed his own fork and muttered, "I sort of got lost and met Vivi-san in the process."

"Perhaps we should send Hattori with you next time," Lucci drawled before taking another long sip of wine. "It seems you do need a babysitter after all."

Paulie clenched his fists, opening his mouth to retort, but was cut off by Kaku's cheerful voice.

"I wasn't aware that you trusted Hattori with anyone but yourself. As far as I know, pets usually take after their masters."

Lucci eyed him with a vague expression and Paulie could almost _see_ the tension between them. Lucci set his glass down. "Yes, of course, how foolish of me. My apologies, your grace."

Paulie watched the argument warily, along with a handful of other guests, thanking every God he'd ever heard of that he wasn't seated between them but rather across the table when Kaku bristled at the title. Paulie guessed Lucci was referring to a past conversation, and when Kaku smiled again Paulie was willing to bet a large sum of money that the apocalypse was coming any minute now. He knew from personal experience that holding back during a fight would only leader to an even bigger explosion down the road.

Deciding to try and ignore the immense pressure weighing over them, Paulie turned to the food now being served in front of him. Paulie stabbed a steamed broccoli head and took a bite. With something this delicious to distract him, maybe he could get a few moment of peace.

Mmm, blissful ignorance never tasted so good.

- - -

AN: Okay so this had to be one of the hardest chapters to write, even if it was solely because of that bloody scene at the end. I have no grasp of politics and feel an argument between these two would be so much more cutthroat and subtle then I could ever dream of writing up on paper. Just, you know, FYI.


End file.
